Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/120

 98 the well she heard a voice inside which said: "Oh! maiden, come into the well! Oh! maiden, come into the well!" She ran away with fear; but on the following day, when the sisters were gone to the festival, the maiden again approached the border of the well, and she heard once more the same voice calling for her, and, impelled by it, she went into the well; and she had hardly reached the bottom when the fish appeared to her, and, laying hold of her hand, he conducted her to a palace of gold and precious stones, and said to her: "Go into that chamber and attire yourself in the best and most elegant robe you find there, and put on a pair of gold slippers which are ready for you, as you will see, for I mean you to go to the same festival as your sisters are gone to. You will proceed to it in a splendid state carriage which you will find ready for you at the door when you leave this palace. At the conclusion of the festival be careful to take your departure before your sisters do, and return here to take off your robes, for I promise you that a time is in store for you when you will be very happy indeed." When the maiden had put on garments worked in gold and precious stones of very great value, she came out of the well, and on reaching the palace door she found a splendid carriage ready for her. She stepped in and proceeded to the festival. When she entered the edifice every one there was in admiration, and wondered from whence had come such a lovely, comely maiden with such rich robes. She left the edifice without loss of time the very moment that the festival was concluded; but in her hurry to get out she lost one of her slippers, and the king, who was following close behind her, picked it up, and ordered an edict to be issued that he would marry the maiden to whom that slipper belonged. When she reached home she went into the well at once to take off her rich garments, and when she left the enchanted palace the fish told her to return in the evening, for he wished to ask her something. The maiden promised to comply with his wish, and departed.